Crate



l.. l.. ALBERT CRATE Filed OCt. 15, 1955 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The invention relates to a crate and more especially to an all-metal poultry crate.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a crate of this character, wherein the height of its body can be increased or decreased accordingly to the requirements of the crate for the shipment of fowls, such as chickens, geese, turkeys, etc., and also will permit of convenient stacking during shipment without liability of injury to the fowls contained therein.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a crate of this character, wherein the same is made from metal so as to withstand rough handling and increasing the life thereof, the crate being novel in its construction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a crate of this character, wherein doors are provided in the top and at opposite sides so that access can be had thereto on the opening of such doors and one door carries a hanger rod or bar for .accommodating feed and watering receptacles for use by the fowls when within the crate and during shipment of the latter.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a crate of this character, wherein the construction thereof renders it thoroughly sanitary as it can be readily cleaned and assures maximum ventilation especially when the crates are shipped and stacked during shipment.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a crate of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its purposes, strong, durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction,

combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a crate constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is .a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing in detail the top door in partly opened position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the crate showing a modified form thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing. 5

Referring to the drawing in detail, the crate comprises a body A including upper and lower metallic frames I0 and I I, respectively, these being made from sheet metal cut and stamped with open centers covered by wire mesh fabric 1'() I2, the fabric being made secure at the edges thereof to the frames in any suitable manner and such fabric may be of the required gage.

Arranged interiorly of the body A at the corners of the frames Il) and II are posts I3, these being 15 provided with spaced holes I4 and likewise the side portions I5 of the frames have the holes I5 for matching said holes I4 so that bolts I'I can be mounted selectively in the respective holes in these parts and in this fashion the frames IIJ and 20 i I can be adjusted in the desired spaced relation to each other to increase or decrease the height of the body A in conformity with the cagng of different species of fowls or poultry therein, as for example chickens, geese, turkeys, etcf to 25 avoid cramping of the same.

The frame IU has formed therewith the intermediate cross webs I8 which .are spaced from each other in parallel relation to one another and have arranged therebetween a swinging top door 30 IB, it being fitted with a pivot hinge 2li, each end of which works within a slot ZI therefor as provided in the frame I. This door I3 carries a keeper rod 22 releasably engageable in bayonet slots 23 detachably fastening said door in closed 35 position. The frame of the door is indicated at 24 and is tted with a wire mesh fabric 25 similar to the fabric I2 of the frame I0.

Closing opposite sides of the body A and arranged between the frames Iil and II thereof .are 40 the side doors 26 each including an open frame 2I carrying spaced vertical bars 28 and swingingly supported on pivot studs 29 while fitted in each frame 28 are corner slide bolts 3D which engage in the posts I3 next thereto for the fastening of the door 26 closed.

Arranged exteriorly of the frames I0 and II and disposed crosswise thereof in spaced relation to each other are runners 3I and 32, respectively, which function as skid bars, the runners 32 being channeled for the intertting of the runners 3I therein on the stacking of one crate upon another so that these crates when being stacked will have sliding trackage and thereby eliminate damage 55 to the tops and bottoms of such crates while stacking the same for shipment.

The spaces 33 between the side portions I5 of the top and bottom frames l0 and Il serve as foot space for a person when stacking the crates high. for shipment thereof.

The gage of the wire mesh fabric I2 eliminates the possibility of the fowls or poultry sticking their heads therethrough and in this way the same will be protected against injury.

The top door i9 has fitted thereon a handle 34 and also plates 35 for marking purposes.

One of the side doors 28 has fitted therein transversely of the same a hanger rod or bar 36 for accommodating water and feed receptacles for use by the fowls or poultry within the crate.

In Figure 6 of the drawing there is shown a slight modication wherein between the side portions 3? of the considerably spaced top and bottom frames 38 and 39, respectively, creating the foot space 48 is a guard bar 4|, it being adjustably connected at each end with a post 42 adjacent thereto by a fastener 43 so that poultry or fowls within the expanded body of the crate can not make escape therefrom through the space 4D as created between the frames 38 and 39 when adjusted to a relatively wide range with relation to each other.

The entire crate is made from metal so -as to give strength and durability thereto and by reason of the structural makeup of the crate it is thoroughly sanitary and assures maximum ventilation when the same is in use for crating the poultry, fowls or the like.

What is claimed is:

l. A crate of the kind described having a pair of spaced approximately flat metallic frames carrying wire mesh fabric, corner posts between said frames and having spaced holes, side pieces at two opposite edges of each frame and having holes matching the holes in the posts, fasteners engaged in the holes in the side pieces and selectively engaging holes in the posts for varying the capacity of the crate, and swinging gates arranged between the frames at a. pair of opposite sides of the crate for access to the latter at either of said opposite sides.

2. A crate of the kind described having a pair of spaced approximately flat metallic frames carrying wire mesh fabric, corner posts between said frames and having spaced holes, side pieces at two opposite edges of each frame and having holes matching the holes in the posts, fasteners engaged in the holes in the side pieces and selectively engaging holes in the posts for varying the capacity of the crate, swinging gates arranged between the frames at a pair of opposite sides of the crate for access to the latter at either of said opposite sides, and guard bars selectively engageable with the said posts between the side pieces.

3. A crate of the kind described having a pair of spaced approximately ilat metallic frames carrying wire mesh fabric, corner posts between said frames and having spaced holes, side pieces at two opposite edges of each frame and having holes matching the holes in the posts, fasteners cngaged in the holes in the side pieces and selectively engaging holes in the posts for Varying the capacity of the crate, swinging gates arranged between the frames at a pair of opposite sides of the crate for access to the latter at either of said opposite sides, guard bars selectively er.-x gageable with the said posts between the side pieces, and latches carried by the gates for the fastening of the latter closed.

LOUIS L. ALBERT. 

